All-City football, volleyball teams named

Parker's Elijah Jenkins, left, was named the Offensive Player of the Year while Jackson-Olin's Beau Hankins earned Defensive Player of the Year. (Dennis Victory)

Parker's Kendra Jackson, center, was named volleyball Player of the Year while Ramsay's Shauntae Lewis, left, and Parker's Wendolyn Anderson were Co-Coach of the Year. (Dennis Victory)

It didn’t take Parker quarterback Elijah Jenkins long to grow weary of pushups.

With no weight room because of construction, Parker players were forced to perform pushups instead of pushing weights until the final weeks of the season. Even after the facility opened, players were allowed only a short period of time in the new building.

The Birmingham City Schools Offensive Player of the Year, Jenkins figures the lack of workouts stymied the Thundering Herd during its 3-7 campaign last season.

“Man, I don’t know how many pushups I did,” said Jenkins, who has offers from several schools. “I think not having a weight room definitely hurt us.”

Jenkins was honored along with Defensive Player of the Year Beau Hankins of Jackson-Olin by the Birmingham Athletic Partnership at a Wednesday banquet at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. BAP named its all-city football and volleyball teams at the banquet.

Woodlawn’s Bruce Breland was named Coach of the Year and his Colonels were the Team of the Year after finishing 7-4 and advancing to the Class 5A playoffs before losing to St. Paul’s.

Parker’s Kendra Jackson was named the volleyball Player of the Year while Parker’s Wendolyn Anderson and Ramsay’s Shauntae Lewis were named Co-Coach of the Year. Parker was also the Team of the Year.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Jenkins threw for 1,550 yards, completing 93-of-180 attempts and 11 touchdowns this season. The two-year starter has offers from Arkansas State and Jacksonville State along with others.

Linebacker Hankins led Jackson-Olin (3-7) with 121 tackles, including 24 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. The 6-2, 225-pound Hankins holds offers from Arkansas, Penn State, Georgia Tech and Central Florida among others.

“This year was extremely tough for us,” Hankins said. “We were in some great games with good teams and we worked really hard, but it just didn’t happen for us.”

Jackson helped Parker to the city schools volleyball championship and was named the tournament MVP.